Coating apparatus



Jan. 13, 1942. J. J. MALLOY Er'AL COATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 26, 1938 2 Smets-sheet 1 l Jill.

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Inventors: y Y John J. Mallog, Eric M. Hsmnn,

E3? gg. J, J, MALLOY TALIy 29? 'f COMING APPARATUS Y Filed Nov. 26, 1938 2 .sheets-sheet 2 l u A/l/ u 4.9 48 43 Figi 4# 44 4/ Erich M. Hofmann? Their' Attorneg tion than heretofore.

Patented Jan. 13, 1942 COATING APPARATUS John J. Mauoy, cleveland Heights, and Erich M. Hofmann, Euclid, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application November 26, 1938, Serial No. 242,582

3 Claims.

Our yinvention relates to coating apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for automatically coating the exterior of an incandescent lamp bulb or the like with preferably a translucent colored or a diffusing coating.

Inasmuch as the light from the incandescent lamp passes through a coating applied thereto, all imperfections therein are readily apparent and the coating must therefore be applied Very uniformly and must be of uniform thickness on all lamps to be satisfactory. Considerable diiilculty is experienced in applying the coating in a satisfactory manner at a high rate of speed and the principal object of our invention is to provide a machine for applying the coating in an improved manner adaptable for high speed operation. Anotherobject of our invention is to provide apparatus having a higher rate of produc- Still other objects and advantages of our invention will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings of one species thereof.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine of our invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through our machine along the line 2-2 of Fig l; Fig. 3 is a similar section on an ven` larged scale of a head and a portion of the track for supporting said head; Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the head spinning apparatus with the heads shown in connection therewith partially broken away; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of said apparatus; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the connected spray guns and the apparatus for producing the movement thereof; and Fig. 'I is a side 'elevation of one spray gun with the portion controlling the operation thereof shown in section.

The machine comprises a plurality of heads III which in their regular order of movement pass before an operator located preferably at X who inserts a lamp II in each. The operator inserts the base I2v of the lamp II in the open end of the sleeve I3 as shown in Fig. 3 which in turn is mounted on the hollow spindle I4. In this position, the base I2 is frictionally engaged by the button I5 which lies in an aperture in the sleeve I3 and which is fastened to a split spring I6 extending nearly completely around the sleeve I3. The spring IG presses the button I5 against the kbase I2 so that lamp II is held in place and is protected by a second sleeve I1 mounted on the end of sleeve I3 which keeps the lamp coating material and all other foreign matter from interfering with the operation thereof. Since it is often desirable to remove 55 the sleeve I3 from the spindle I4 in order to clean the apparatus and substitute a similar sleeve adapted to hold another size or form of lamp base, said sleeve I3 is held in place by a spring I8 which allows said sleeve to be pulled from the hollow spindle I4. The spring I8 lies in a slot in the hollow spindle I4 and engages said hollow spindle I4 through the angular bent portion I9 which is located in a transverse opening therein and also engages said sleeve I3 through the loop 20 which extends into an openingtherethrough. Support is provided for the hollow spindle I4 by the second hollow spindle 2| which is engaged by the rollers of the bearing 22 therebetween and which is fastened to the lower plate 23 of an endless chain 24. The lower plate 23 together with the upper plate 25 forms a link in the chain 24 which is made up of alternate links of the `plates 23 and 25 of the other heads III in the same manner and which forms the carrier for and means of advancing the heads III through the machine. The second spindle 2I is fastened to the plate 23 by the nut 26 on the lower end thereof which also clamps the block 21 to the lower end thereof` and is kept from loosening by the lock washer 28. A loose washer 29 covers the larger hole in the upper plate 25.

When the lamp II is properly positioned in the heads IIJ, the eyelet 30 on the end of the base I2 butts against the end of the contact pin 3I which provides for the making of an electric connection to the lamp II. At this instant, no other electrical connection is made to the pin 3l and it is held upright by the insulating washers 32 and 33 which engage the hollow spindles I4 and 2| and pushed upward'against the eyelet 30 by the expanding force of the spring 34 which butts against the washer 33 and the flange 35 on said pin 3|; The felt washer 36 and insulating washer 31 prevent foreign matter from entering the interior of the head I0.

The movement of the heads Il) which is produced by the chain 24 is brought about by means (not shown) engaging said chain 24 through a sprocket (also not shown) at the right end of the machine and occurs in the direction indicated at a uniform rate. The chain 24 also extends about the idling sprocket 38 on the left end of the machine which, together with the driving sprocket (not shown), controls the geny eral path of movement of the heads I0. The actual path of movement of the heads I0, however, is controlled by the inner and outer rails 39 and 40 of a track which is located along the straight portions of said path between the end sprockets of the chain 24 and which engages the blocks 21 on the lower ends of said heads lli and the lower plate 23 thereof. The plates 25 rest directly on the top surface of the rails 39 and i8 which carry the entire weight of the heads lll and prevent sagging of the chain 24.

As the heads i8 are advanced out of the loading positions, they are carried into engagement with a rapidly moving belt 4| which causes them to rotate. The belt 4|, as shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5, engages a portion of the hollow spindle ifi having a band 82 of cotton tape thereabout which increases the friction therebetween and is pressed against said hollow spindle i4 by a series of rollers 83 located at intervals along its length. rhe rollers 43 are spaced at the proper intervals to keep the belt 4| against each of the hollow spindles i4 engaged and are each mounted on an arm 44 pivoted on a portion 45 of the outer rail i8 of the track. The arms 44 are mounted in pairs on a pin 48 extending from the rail 48 which is recessed to give clearance therefor and are swung so as to carry the rollers 48 toward the heads I8 by the springs 41 which butt against the screws 48 carried by raised parts of said rail portion 45. The belt 4| is endless and after passing about the roller 43 at the right end of the spinning apparatus passes along behind the three other rollers 48, into contact with the roller 48 and around the pulley 58 before again contacting the heads |8. 'I'he roller 48 is adjustably mounted on the rail portion 45 and can be shifted to take up slack in the belt 4| if desired, whereas the pulley 58 is a driven member and causes the necessary movement of the belt 4|. The means for turning the pulley 58 is not shown and obviously may be an electric motor or other apparatus turning the shaft which is attached to the pulley 58 and which is carried in a bearing in the rail portion 45.

Shortly after being caused to rotate, the heads Hl carry the lamps Il into the eld of a spray gun 52 which is then caused to operate and spray said lamp with the desired coating. The spray gun 52 is of conventional design being preferably a type used previously for this purpose but is automatically moved so as to follow the lamp for an interval and to move up and down so as to spray the entire surface of said lamp uniformly. As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the spray gun 51' is attached by means of bolt 54 to the bracket 55 which is supported by a pin 56 projecting therefrom and pivotally mounted in the bracket 51. The aiming of the gun 52 which causes it to follow the lamp is produced by the rotation of the pin 56 in bracket 51 and is brought about through the gear 58 on the end thereof which meshes with the gear 58 on the end of the pin 68 extending from the bracket 51. The aiming of the gun 52 which causes it to reach all parts of the lamp on the other hand depends on both the vertical movement of the bracket 51 and the rotation thereof about the axis of the pin 68. These movements of the bracket 51 are brought about by the lever 5| to which said bracket 51 is attached by the bars 62, 53 and 84 (see Figs. 2 and 6) and are substantially independent of the following movement of the gun 52, As shown bars 62 and 63 are pivotally attached by means of the pins 58 and 65 to the bracket 51 and lever 6| respectively and are also pivotally attached by means of pin 65 to the ann 61 which together with the lever 6| establishes the path of movement (vertically) of said bracket 51.

Both the lever 5| and the arm 81 move about a pin supported by the frame 88 of the machine, the former about the pin 68 held by the bracket 18 and the latter about the pin 1| held by the bracket 12. The bar 54 causes the rotation of the bracket 51 about the pin 68 since it is attached to said bracket 51 by the stud 13 and to the lever 6| by the stud 14 and the block 15. The rotation of the gear 58 which causes the gun 52 to follow the head |0 results from a corresponding rotation of the gear 16 on the pin 55 carried by the lever 6| and is transferred thereto through the gears 11 and 18 on the opposite ends of the rod 19 which mesh with the gears 16 and 58 respectively. The rod 18 retains the gears 11 and 18 in the proper relation to the gears 16 and 58 at all times since it is supported by the arms 88 and 8| extending from the bar 62. The system which rotates the gear 16 includes the gear 82 which meshes therewith, the pin 83 which is attached to said gear 82 and the arm 84 and supported by an extending portion of the lever 6| and the lever 85 which pivots on a pin 88 carried by said lever 8| and engages the block 81 carried by a stud in the end of arm 84. The end of the lever 85 is located on the axis of the pin 88 so as not to be disturbed by the rotation of the lever 5I and is connected through the rod 88, lever 88, rod 88, lever 8| and rod 82 to a lever 83 which engages through a roller 84 on its lower end the ways of the cam 85. The levers 88. 8| and 88 are pivotally mounted on the pins 88 and 81 and the rod 88 respectively which are held in position by the various positions of the frame 88 of the machine. The motion of the lever 8| which causes the gun 52 to reach all parts of the lamp is brought about by the lever 88 on the rod 88 which engages the ways of cam 88 through the roller |8| and is connected thereto ,through the rod |82, the arm |83, the shaft |84, 405

shaft |84 is supported by a bracket |81 extending the arm |85 and the rod |86. As shown in Fig. 2,

from the frame 58. Since both cams 85 and |88 .are mounted on a common shaft |88 which is driven by the same means (not shown) moving the chain 24 and the heads |8, the various movements of the gun 52 occur in proper sequence and in proper timing with the movements of the heads |8. The ways of the cams and |88 are shaped in this instance so that the spray gun 52 is always aligned with the axis of rotation of the lamp and is directed and shifted so that it gradually sprays the lamp from the bottom to the top and then from the top to the bottom, Other shapes and sizes of electric lamps can be sprayed by the machine equally well, since provision is made for the adjustment of the up and down movement of the guns 52, ||8 and H8. This adjustment is made by altering the position of the block 15 on the lever 6| which changes the vertical motion of the bar 64 although the movement of the lever 8| remains unchanged. All of the spray does not necessarily strike the lamp but passes back into the mouth of the funnel 88 which is connected to the usual suction Ventilating system so that all particles of coating deiiected from the lamp as well as all free spray and fumes therefrom are drawn off. With this Ventilating system, there is less chance of free particles of the coating striking and spotting the adjacent lamps |I.

In some instances, a second spray gun such as shown at |I8 is desired as a sufliciently thick coating cannot always be applied by the single spray gun 52 in the short period allowed. Such an arrangement can also be used for applying two different colors as tints or two thinner coats of the same color where the coating material tends to run if applied all at once. The spray gun I I is connected to the operating mechanism of the first gun 52 through the arm I|I which is fastened to the bracket 51 and which engages the pin I l2 extending from the bracket ||3 to which said gun ||ll is attached. By this construction, the second spray gun I I0 is caused to move vertically and aimed at the different parts of the lamp II in the same manner as the prior gun 52. Arad iid extending between studs in the back end of the brackets 55 and |13' causes said brackets to be turned about the pins 55 and ||2 in a like manner so that the guns 52 and Il@ follow the movements of the respective lamps |I being sprayed. In most instances, it is desirable to dry the rst coating somewhat before the second is applied, and to hasten this action an'air jet disbursing heated air is mounted over the path of movement of the lamps Il between the spray guns 52 and H0. As shown,the heads I0 continue to engage the belt 4I of the spinning means while in the drying and second spraying positions. A second funnel ||5 functioning in the same manner as the rst |09 is positioned behind the second spray gun I I0. y

Following the second coating operation, the lamps are soon advanced into the oven |I1 which is preferably of conventional design and as shown covers the entire right end of the machine. In the insta-nce shown, the piping Ill conducting the air to the jet ||5 also passes through the oven ||1 so that the air is heated thereby. From the oven I I1 the lamps pass along a straight path paralleling the path of movement thereof along the front of the machine and again pass into position before a spray gun H9. This spray gun ||9 is used only when a third coating is to be placed on the lamp and can beused to advantage to apply a transparent lacquer surface to the lamp for the protection of the coatings already thereon. The spray gun H9 is located some distance from the oven ||1 for the dual purpose of allowing the lamps I I to cool somewhat before they are again sprayed and reducing the nre hazardand is manipulated by means (not shown) duplicating that provided for the first spray gun 52. In this instance. however,

4the rod |20 (Fig. 6) which is attached to the lever 39 causes the spray gun ||9 to follow the head |0 in the same manner as the rod 38 and the other movements of the spray gun ||9 are brought about by the shaft |04 which extends forward and supports an arm (not shown) similar to the arm |05. As in the prior instances. the lamp I I is rotated while it is sprayed although in this case by the apparatus I 2| which is a duplication of the apparatus used for this same purpose on the opposite side ofthe machine. The fumes and excess free spray material are carried off through the funnel |22 which is connected to a Ventilating system.

During .the return movement of each of the guns 52, ||0 and Il! which brings them into alignment with a succeeding lamp said gun is automatically caused to be inoperative. The apparatus for this purpose appears in Figs. 2 and '1 and consists of a plurality of valves |23 and |24 which alternately admit and discharge compressed air from behind the piston 25 on the metering pin |26 of each gun. The valves |23 and |24, as shown in Fig. 2, are actuated through the lever |21 which is pivoted on` the pin |23 carried by a portion of the frame 63 and are opened when the valve pin |29 is pressed in by the stud carried by the lever |21. At the instant shown, the cam segment |30 which is mounted on the face of cam |00 is below the roller |3I of the lever |32 which pivots on the pin |32 and the armv |33 which is attached to said lever |32 and to lever |21 through the link |30 is in such a position that the valve pin |29 of valve |23 is pushed in and said valve |23 is opened. In the open position, the valve |23 allows the compressed air carried thereto through pipe |35 to pass into the pipe |36 which is connected to each of the guns 52, H0, |19 by a :ilexible hose not shown. The spraying operation is performed during the greater portion of each single cycle of operation of the machine so that the roller |3| usually does not contact the cam segment |30 and lever |32 is pulled to another position by the contraction of spring |31. In moving to this latter position, the lever |32 tips the lever |21 so that valve |23 is allowed to close and valve |24 is opened thereby cutting off the supply of compressed air to the guns 52, ||0 and I| 9 and allowing the discharge of the compressed air in the pipe line |36 connected thereto through the pipe |38. The compressed air actuating each gun, as shown in Fig. '7, enters the chamber behindV the piston |25 on the metering pin |26 through the opening |39 in the cap |40 on the end of the bracket |,4I and forces said piston |25 and metering pin |26 to the left so that the gun is closed. This movement of the piston compresses the spring` |42v 'which expands and moves said piston |25 and metering pin |26 to the right opening the gun whenv the compressed air is discharged from the chamber. The space in the bracket |4| to the left of the piston |25is vented through the opening |43 in the bracket |4| and the plug |44 so that said piston |25 moves as desired. The extent to which the piston |25 is allowed to move to the right and consequently the amount the gun is opened is controlled by the position of the bushing |45 in the bracket |4| which acts as stop to limit the movement of the piston |25. The bracket |4| is attached to the body |46 of the gun to which the fluid coating material is introduced through the valve |41 and the compressed air for spraying is introduced through the pipe tting |48.

The coating operation must be very uniform in order to produce satisfactory results and it is one of the duties of the operator tending the machine to constantly check the spraying operation of the particular guns being operated. To check the operation properly, the lamps |I must be lighted so that means are provided following each of the spraying positions and at the unloading position for making electricali connection to said lamps as they continue to move along. The contact means in each instance consists, as shown in Fig. 3, of a bar |49 which engages the end of the pin 3| extending from the heads Il and which parallels the path of movement of the head |0 for a short distance. The bar |49 is connected through a flexible wire (not shown) to the source of electricity and completes the circuit to the lamp which is always connected to the grounded side of said source through the base shell I2 and the other portions of the machine. The bar |49 is mounted on the arm |50 o! insulating material which is pivoted on a pin Ill extending from a bracket |52 and which is pushed upward by the expansion of the spring |53. The bracket |52 is fastened directly to the outer rail 40 of the track for the heads I0 whereis the spring |53 rests on a nut on the end of a stud |54 extending from said rail and through an aperture in the arm |50. The lighting of the lamps just prior to their removal from the machine allows the finished lamp to be compared by the operator with standard lamps mounted adjacent thereto and gives a nal check on the coating operation.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for coating electric lamps or similar articles comprising a head adapted to support a lamp, a carrier for continuously moving said head along a predetermined path, a spray gun located adjacent a portion of said path for coating the lamp held by the head, means for causing said spray gun to be directed at, and travel with. said head during the movement thereof through said portion of the path to permit the lamp held thereby to be coated by said spray gun, means for moving said spray gun vertically to cause the coating material to be equally distributed over the length of the lamp, and means for rotating said head during said portion of said movement to cause the coating material to be applied equally on all sides of the lamp.

2. Apparatus for coating electric lamps or similar articles comprising a head adapted to support a lamp, a carrier for continuously moving said head along a predetermined path. a spray gun located adjacent a portion of said path for coating the lamp held by the head, means for causing said spray gun to be directed at. and

CFI

travel with, said head during the movement thereof through said portion of the path to permit the lamp held thereby to be coated by said spray gun, means for moving said spray gun vertically and separate adjustable means for moving said spray gun through an arcuate path in a vertical plane during said movement to cause the coating material to be equally distributed over the length of the lamp. and means for rotating said head during said por-tion of said movement to cause the coating material to be applied equally on all sides of the lamp.

3. Apparatus for coating electric lamps or similar articles comprising a head adapted to support a lamp, a carrier for continuously moving said head along a predetermined path, a spray gun located adjacent a portion of said path for coating the lamp held by the head, means for causing said spray gun to be directed at, and travel with, said head during the movement thereof through said portion of the path to permit the lamp held thereby to be coated by said spray gun and for returning said spray gun into alignment with the head on its succeeding movement through said portion of the path, means for rotating said head during said portion of said movement to cause the coating material to be applied equally on all sides of the lamp. and means for causing the spray gun to be rendered inoperative except when in operative relation to a lamp.

JOHN J. MALLOY. ERICH M. HOFMANN. 

